The Great Pursuit

by Wendy Higgins

  “I miss you, Breck. I’ll always miss you.” She stared down at the wood where he’d laid her back and kissed her. Wyneth wiped her eyes. “Please forgive me for what happened with Lord Alvi. Forgive me for my need to move on. My heart . . .” She sucked in a breath and wiped her eyes again. “I want to hold on to you forever, but it hurts to mourn you still.”

  She could almost feel Breckon’s warm embrace, his confident smile, telling her he could not be angry. That she needn’t grieve forever. That it was all right to live.

  A light snap echoed over the water from the woods, and Wyneth stopped breathing. She peered up, heart pounding, and saw the shaded form of a man leaning against a tree, watching her. Breckon! An involuntary sound of disbelief rose from her throat. And then the figure moved, stepping out.

  Harrison. Oh, seas. She pressed a hand to her chest. He was so very like Breckon in his physique and stature. Her pulse was still racing as he made his way down the length of the dock, squatting to face her with concern in his eyes.

  “Wyn?”

  “I’m all right,” she whispered. “From afar you appeared to be . . . Never mind.” She shook her head, then looked at him. His eyes gleamed. “Did you follow me?”

  Now he appeared sheepish, moving his gaze to the water. “I hope you don’t mind. You seemed upset when you came out of the castle. I waved, but you didn’t notice.”

  “This is my first time coming back to this dock.” She forced herself to stand, and Harrison stood too.

  “I came every day after . . .” He looked all around, as if searching for signs of Breckon. Finally, his eyes landed on hers. “And every day I thanked the seas that you were spared.”

  Heat spread through Wyneth at the intensity behind those words. She searched his gaze until he dropped it, amending. “That’s what he would have wanted. For you to be spared, even at his expense. His love for you was like no other.”

  Wyneth nodded, cooling. “Aye. That it was.”

  A long breeze whipped small waves in the creek, gusting straight up Wyneth’s gray skirts. She held them down and shivered.

  “Let me escort you back to the castle, if you’re ready,” Harrison said.

  Wyneth nodded. Harrison held out his elbow, and she took it. He kept her hand warm in his strong embrace. Together, they walked the forsaken dock, and Wyneth felt a small piece of herself being left behind, allowing her to begin the healing process. Her gaze remained forward until the dock was out of sight.

  Aerity was exhausted as she stood in her father’s office. The lists had been burned, and, thank the seas, all had gone well, though her father was troubled about having destroyed the compilations of their magical families. She knew he was worried about having no records of the kingdom’s Lashed Ones and their bloodlines. But in Aerity’s mind, having lists made no difference. A compilation of names simply gave the people a false sense of control over the people on that list.

  “We’ll do a new census after this madness is over,” he had whispered on the balcony, and Aerity’s heart had contracted with sadness. As much as she hated Rozaria Rocato and her fanatic ways, she had felt like burning the lists was a way to move forward. The kingdom needed change.

  Rebellious excitement writhed inside her at the thought of what she would do that night. She could barely take in the grave faces of her parents, aunts, and uncles. All she could think about was that she would soon escape these walls, seas willing, and have one final adventure—one final moment for herself—before she sacrificed it all to her arranged marriage with Lord Alvi.

  Would her parents be furious? Aye, without a doubt. But she was confident that she would return and finally have the strength to move forward with her obligations to the kingdom. No harm would be done. They would eventually see.

  “Have you any clue who the traitor might be?” Lord Wavecrest asked her father.

  King Charles shook his head. “Nobody in my council has behaved out of character.”

  “But it has to be one of them,” Lord Wavecrest said.

  “Funny . . .” The king sat back in his chair. “They pled their innocence and said it had to be one of you, the family.”

  Her aunts and uncles gasped, posturing with outrage.

  “That’s preposterous!” Lady Baycreek said. “What reason would we have to betray our people?”

  The king held up a hand. “I know. I know it’s none of you, and I told them as much. I’ve got several military officials questioning them. They’ve been trained to retrieve information.”

  “Do you mean torture?” Lady Wavecrest pressed a hand to her chest. “Several of the council are elderly.”

  The king raised an eye to his sister. “Just intimidation tactics.”

  “They won’t go overboard,” Queen Leighlane assured her. “These are councilmen we’ve always trusted. But if there’s a chance any of them are consorting with the Rocato woman or being used by her, we must take measures to weed them out.”

  Lady Wavecrest’s hand slowly dropped as she nodded.

  “We should have the royal Lashed questioned,” Lord Wavecrest said.

  Aerity’s spine went rigid. “Mrs. Rathbrook? She would never!”

  “She is Lashed,” her uncle said. “I know she’s always seemed loyal, but in these times you never know.”

  “She is not part of the council,” the king stated. “She is not privy to information, so she has been ruled out.”

  “Any news from other kingdoms?” Lord Baycreek asked as Aerity stewed in anger.

  King Charles shook his head. “I’m hoping for messengers to arrive today. In the meantime we need to discuss what to do to appease this madwoman and keep her from killing again.”

  Just as Aerity opened her mouth, a knock sounded on the door.

  “Enter,” the king called.

  A guard opened the door and ushered in a page boy of Aerity’s age. He was sweating and panting. The king stood.

  “Do you bring news from afar?”

  “Nay, Your Majesty,” he said, holding his side. “I have news from two villages, Craw Coorie and Dovedell.”

  “Yes?”

  Aerity’s abdomen tightened. The lad looked distressed. What could be happening?

  “Townsmen have burned the homes of their known Lashed. It’s said that people in towns all over the lands are spreading word to try to drive out Lashed Ones.”

  “No!” Aerity flew to her father’s side. “We have to stop this!”

  “What did we expect?” Lord Wavecrest asked. “They surely feel that the Lashed are waging war after a woman was killed by one of them in the people’s midst.”

  “They’re trying to drive out the Lashed before the Lashed have a chance to rise against them,” Lady Ashley agreed.

  “Well, we can’t sit by idly and let our Lashed be killed!” Aerity shouted. This was personal to her. All she could imagine was Paxton and his family, trying to live a quiet life, being rooted out with violence.

  The king motioned to the door guard. “Send word to Lieutenant Gillfin. Disperse troops to Craw Coorie and Dovedell to stop any rioting. Find the primary culprits who set the fires and slap fines on them. Arrest any who don’t cooperate.” The guard nodded and jogged away. Another guard was there to take his place, and the king motioned for the door to be closed.

  “Fines?” demanded Aerity. “That’s all? For destroying homes and possibly killing people?”

  The king’s hands clenched at his sides as he turned to his daughter. She surged on before he could speak.

  “We have to offer refuge to the uprooted Lashed.”

  “Surely you are not suggesting bringing hordes of Lashed onto royal lands,” Lord Wavecrest said to her. “We cannot discern who is good and who is against us.”

  “The good ones will be mark free,” Lady Ashley pointed out.

  “Any with markings need to be killed,” Lord Wavecrest said.

  Aerity shook her head, anger simmering. “They’re most likely only using magic to defend themselves.
”

  “The laws must stand!” Lord Wavecrest shouted.

  The princess faced him, her blood buzzing with passion. “And in the meantime the real, actual evil ones, who are hidden, will kill our townspeople one by one. Because it is apparent we are too stubborn to compromise our outdated laws. Too fearful of retaliation to protect our people who are under attack!”

  “Look at me, Aerity,” the king told her. She brought her hazel eyes up to his stern ones. “You need to realize that what you are suggesting will bring as much death, destruction, and heartache as any other path of action at this time. Our people are scared of the unknown. They don’t know what to believe. These are uncharted waters, and we must weigh each decision with care. You are being led by your emotions, not your mind. I think it is best if you let us discuss this without you until you can learn to work with us calmly.”

  Aerity gaped at her father’s open dismissal, as if she were the only one in the room driven by emotion. Here she was, the one who’d sacrificed her future and her happiness for the sake of the kingdom—their future queen. Dismissed. She blinked twice, her gut twisting into a gnarled mess, before swallowing hard and grasping her skirts to leave. It would be the last she’d see of them for a while.

  Good riddance, she thought.

  Chapter

  6

  The first thing Aerity noticed when she sat down across from Wyneth in the library that afternoon was her cousin’s sea-green gown, the way it brought out the green in her hazel eyes. Aerity sat down and spoke carefully, seeing how Wyneth fidgeted nervously with her skirts.

  “You look beautiful in that color, Wyn.”

  Wyneth shook her head. “I fear it is too soon.”

  “I don’t believe so,” Aerity said. “It is right to mourn, but there is no shame when it’s time to move on. It doesn’t mean you won’t always love him and remember him.”

  Wyneth ran a hand down her skirts, calming.

  Caitrin came into the room and bumped into the doorframe, spilling hot tea across her tray. She’d been jumpy that morning as well, dropping a stack of linens when she passed Aerity in the hallway.

  “Seas alive,” Caitrin breathed. “I’m very sorry, Your Highness and Lady Wyneth. I’ll be back with more.”

  “Caitrin!” Wyneth said with a funny look. “It was only a small spill. I’m sure there’s still plenty more in the pot.”

  Caitrin hesitated before bustling forward and setting down the tray. Her hands shook as she wiped the spilled tea and poured cups for both girls. Once she’d served them and rushed away, Wyneth gave Aerity an amused look.

  “What do you suppose has come over her?”

  Aerity gave a stiff shrug. If Wyn knew, it would upset her.

  They sipped their steaming tea in silence. It had been ages since Wyneth asked Aerity to the library. The princess used to accompany her cousin weekly to watch her draw. Those had been peaceful days.

  Wyneth set down her cup and watched Aerity closely. The princess ran her fingers down her long braid before asking, “What is it? You’ve something on your mind?”

  Wyneth slowly shook her head. “Nay. Do you?”

  “Nay.”

  At the same time they picked up their cups and sipped, eyeing each other over the rims. Of course Wyneth would be able to tell something was happening with her—they never could keep secrets. Aerity didn’t want her cousin to worry, but she also knew Wyneth could be trusted and wouldn’t try to stop her. And as much as it pained her to think of leaving without telling her sister, Vixie, she knew the younger princess would want to accompany her, and that simply was not happening.

  Aerity set down her cup. She glanced toward the doorway, but the guard was too far down the hall to hear. Still, she lowered her voice. “You know my parents are pushing up the wedding date to winter?”

  Wyneth touched her fingers to her throat, swallowing the hot tea before she nodded.

  “Well, I plan to have one last adventure before I do their bidding. I will leave a letter so they know I’m safe.” Aerity twisted her braid tightly in her hands.

  Wyneth set down her cup and watched her closely. “But will you truly be safe, Cousin?”

  “I plan to be, of course. I don’t aim to be reckless. And I won’t be alone. I’m seeking a favor from Harrison.”

  “Harrison?” Wyneth’s brow scrunched with worry. “What about his work? Won’t he be reprimanded for abandoning his post?”

  “Not if I can make it seem that he gave chase to find me and bring me back.”

  Wyneth’s fingers drummed the sides of her cup, seeming lost in thought. “Where will you go?”

  Ah, there was the question. Aerity didn’t fully know.

  “South,” she said. “Before Tiern left, he told me he believed Paxton had set off to supposed safe lands in southern Kalor, or perhaps to Zorfina to the Zandalee tribe.”

  “That could take you weeks to find him, even on horseback. How long will you search before you return? You must give yourself a limit, Aer, or we’ll all be worried sick.”

  Aerity felt her insides trembling at the unknown. “I will search for two weeks, and if I don’t find him, I will return straightaway. One month. That is how long I plan to be gone. No longer.”

  “That will hardly give you any time with him.”

  Aerity knew this. It was one of the plan’s many possible flaws. Would a day or two be enough to tie up their loose ends and allow her to move on?

  “I don’t know if I’ll find him at all,” Aerity whispered. “Or if he’ll be glad to see me, for that matter. I’m trying to prepare myself for any outcome.”

  Wyneth brought the cup to her lips but didn’t drink. Her eyes were distant and lost.

  “Please don’t worry, Wyn,” Aerity whispered.

  “Is it strange that I’m jealous?” Wyneth asked softly.

  Aerity’s chest tightened. “Would you like to join me?”

  “Nay.” She shook her head. “It’s just the thought of being out there, free, with you and Harrison . . .” She smiled to herself. “But I fear I would slow you down. And I think I’ll be needed here to help calm your parents and sister.”

  Relief rushed through Aerity. She had been counting on Wyneth to keep things running as smoothly as possible in her absence. “I don’t imagine I’ll be missed. My ideals are bothersome to them. They kicked me out of the office today! I am afraid of what is happening in this kingdom.” She eyed her cousin. “Am I completely horrid to leave when things are the way they are?”

  Duty warred with her heartfelt desires.

  Wyneth took Aerity’s hand tightly. “You have the rest of your life to sacrifice all for this kingdom. Lochlanach will rule you as much as you rule it. A single month, in the scheme of things, is nothing. If the most wayward time of your life happens before you’re even of age, then I’d say you will succeed.”

  Aerity’s eyes burned. Nobody understood her quite like Wyneth. “I have a favor to ask. Are you willing to deliver messages to Harrison and Miss Rathbrook asking for their help? And will you see me off from my chamber tonight?”

  “Aye. I will be there.”

  An hour after sundown Caitrin knocked quietly on the princess’s chamber door before opening it slightly. Aerity waved her in.

  “Quickly. Shut the door.”

  Caitrin bustled in, her cheeks pink. She held a brown cloth bag.

  “Do you have everything?” Aerity asked.

  “Aye, Your Highness.”

  “Did you tell anyone at all?”

  “Nay, Your Highness.” Caitrin appeared tight with discomfort, as she had each time Aerity saw her since catching the girl with Lord Alvi.

  Aerity stood and took the bag from Caitrin. The maid dashed past her and set to work making a fire. She then filled a pot and hung it in the fireplace to warm. Once she finished, she stood awkwardly, like a beaten dog awaiting its next command.

  Aerity approached her. “Have you not thought of me as somewhat of a friend, dearest Caitri
n? Have I given you reason to fear me?”

  Caitrin’s eyes squeezed shut, pressing out beads of moisture. “Nay, my princess, you have always been kind.”

  “Then why fear me now?”

  “Because I deserve your punishment, Your Highness. I am s-so ashamed.”

  Aerity had to calm her if they were going to make any progress that night. And it was breaking her heart to see her in this state.

  “Be honest. Did you seek Lord Alvi?” Aerity asked. Caitrin’s eyes flew open, and she shook her head. “Did you set out to seduce him?”

  “Nay, my lady! That is, I do not wish to speak ill of him—”

  “My betrothed is a scoundrel,” Aerity said flatly. “He saw a pretty girl who blushed at his flirtations, and he advanced. I’m sure he was quite flattering. In Ascomanni, men have no qualms about such things. Married, single, engaged—men do as they please and women live to make them happy. He is handsome and charming. You never thought anyone would find out. And I’m certain it will never happen again.”

  “Never, Your Highness. Never!” Caitrin began to kneel, but Aerity made her stand.

  “Then let us put this in the past, aye?”

  Caitrin’s lips tightened as she appeared to suppress another surge of emotion.

  “Here is what I need from you tonight, without question.” Aerity walked to the chair and took off her robe. She wore only a thin shift underneath. “You will cut my hair from my waist to my midback, and then dye it dark brown. I will be leaving the castle for one month’s time and then returning to my duties. I will leave a letter for my parents. You will not be named as an accomplice. I plan to find Paxton Seabolt and give him the proper good-bye that was robbed from us. Do you have any questions?”

  Her maid gawked at her, speechless.

  “Well, then. Start cutting.”

  Caitrin hesitated for a moment longer before dropping to her knees and fumbling for the shears in her bag. She came to Aerity’s side, her breathing ragged. “You’re certain?”

  “It will grow back, and the dye will fade. I am absolutely certain.”